8/28/2014 Manufacturing & market potential of sanitary napkins | Nonwovens & Technical Textiles | Features | The ITJ

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Nonwovens & Technical Textiles
Manufacturing & market potential of sanitary napkins
Today, the global market for absorbent hygiene products is over US $ 50 bn (including
wipes). The evolution of hygiene products in Europe and the North America
has taken 4 to 5 generations. Feminine care was introduced over 100
years ago. Baby diapers were invented 60 years ago. Adult incontinence
products appeared 30 years ago.
Feminine hygiene (lady napkins) are hygiene absorbent products
engineered to absorb and retain body fluid without causing any leakage.
The user should always feel dry and comfortable. It consists of an absorbent pad
sandwiched between two sheets of nonwoven fabric.
There are 3 major types of products, viz, (a)Thick sanitary napkins; (b) Ultra thin sanitary
napkins and (c) Panty liners being used in the market. The size of each and their content
vary from market to market.
Global market status & potential
The menstrual cycle stars for young women between the ages 11-17, frequently around
12-13 years. On average a woman experiences a period every 28th day, 12-13 times in a
year. A menstrual period normally lasts 3-7 days. The loss of fluid in a period is on average
half a cup or 65-80 ml. The menstrual pattern is influenced by giving birth and contraceptive
methods. Menstruation lasts until menopause at the age 45-55. The feminine hygiene
products market has evolved over more than 100 years to a more than $ 17 bn in the
following category worldwide as referred in Table 1.
Table 1
Thick pads Pantyliners Ultra thin pads
Absorbent Daily use Wings
Dry surface Tampon back-up Thin
Self sit Odour control Comfort

Convenience
Per capital consumption of feminine hygiene products is illustrated in Table 2.
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Table 2. Consumption per capita for year 2005
Country Population GDP/Capita,
US$
Consumption
Hygiene
products/
Capita, US$
Brazil 186.4 4,289 10.5
China 1,293 1,533 3
Germany 82.7 33,800 24.2
India 1,103 726 0.13
Japan 128.1 35593 39
Russia 143.2 5,349 8.3
USA 298.2 41,768 35
Total
world
6,465 6,879 N/A
Some of the established and potential manufacturers of sanitary napkins are listed in Table 3.
Table 3. Some of the manufacturers of sanitary napkins
Johnson & Johnson.
Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Healthcare
Ltd.
Kimberly Clark Lever Ltd.
Gufic Bioscience.
Dima Products, Vapi.
Market status & potential in India
As regards consumption of total hygiene, absorbent products in India, total units consumed in 2007 in India were
2,829 million pieces. Baby diapers comprised 5% whereas adult incontinence, 1% and feminine care share is 94%.
Past projections and future projections of women population in category of 15-54 years age is tabulated in Table 4.
Table 4 . Women 15-54 years in India
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Year Women, Million
1995 200
2000 About 250
2005 About 275
2010 300
2015 Above 300
2020 Above 300
2025 Above 300
If we see the above projections of women in the category of 15-54 years in India and the details of sales of
absorbent hygiene products in India, then the total sales were US$ 213 million in 2007, out of which adult
incontinence share was 9%, baby diapers share was 18% whereas feminine care contributed 73%. Thus, in India, the
evolution is expected to go quicker.
Structure and composition
Sanitary napkin products: Function
Sanitary napkins are designed to absorb and retain menstrual fluid discharges. When used they are applied inside an
undergarment with a press-on adhesive fixing strip. Main functions/key elements of sanitary napkins are absorb and
retain menstrual fluid, isolate fluids from the body, no leakage, no unaesthetic appearance, no odour, stay in place,
comfortable to wear.
Key criteria for success are hygiene, performance, comfort, convenience and aesthetics as tabulated in Table 5.
The structure of typical samples is given below.
Product designs, full size pads:
1. Topsheet: nonwoven or apertured film.
2. Absorbent core: pulp (Thick core either fluff core with SAP or Air laid core with SAP.
3. Backsheet: film.
Product designs, Ultra thin pad:
1. Topsheet nonwoven or apertured film.
2. Transfer layer.
3. Absorbent layer.
4. Absorbent core.
5. Backsheet film.
Product shape can be either flat or curved with/without wings to secure the pad in
place and add additional leak protection. It is available in various pattern designs
with perfume (deodorant) added to cover or absorb odour. Packaging is done either folded and single wrapped or
packed flat and unwrapped.
Raw material
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Materials used in absorbent hygiene products:
* Nonwoven
* Pulp
* Super absorbent
* Plastic film
* Elastic materials
* Fastening devices
* Packaging
One typical example is as given in Table 6.
The raw material content can slightly vary for different products and for different
market.
A few suppliers of raw materials
1. Non-woven fabric: The permeable top layer of 12 to 18 GSM is normally a spunbond fabric made of polypropylene
while the impermeable polyethylene/non-woven film is the bottom layer for preventing the fluid to pass through.
Sometimes a non-woven fabric glued to polyfilm to give feel. Source of non-woven fabrics in India by Ginni Filaments or
Supreme Nonwoven or Pantex, Fiber Web, Union Industries, PVD plastic, Gujarat, etc. Cost of spunbond fabric is
approximately Rs 140/kg.
2. Cellulose Pulp Wayerhaesder Switzerland, Rayonier-UK, Tembee Tartas France, Stora Enso-Italy.
3. Super Absorbent Polymer BASF-India, Degassa-Italy. 1 gram SAP generally absorbs 30 ml water or up to 20 ml
urine in 3 sec.
4. Polyethylene Back Sheet Exten-Switzerland, Plastik-Italy, Huhtamaki-Germany.
5. Silicon Paper MCS-Switzerland, ICA-Italy, Rossella-Italy.
6. Hot Melt seal and positioners Savare, National Henket-Italy.
7. Packaging It can be from India or abroad.
Manufacturing method
The absorbent pad is the most important component of napkin. Absorbant pad is made of wood pulp mixed with SAP.
Absorbent pad is prepared first. The absorbent pad is first created by using shredded wood pulp and vacuum laid to
required shape and size, the weight is automatically controlled. By pressing it is formed to required thickness. Before
forming the pad the pulp is mixed with super absorbent polymers (SAP) for enhancing fluid holding capacity.
The super absorbent polymer is basically acrylic based polymer that forms gel after
absorbing liquid. By this it can hold water up to 30 times its weight. Sodium acrylate,
potassium acrylate, alkyl acrylate. This absorbent pad is attached to permeable top
sheet made of nonwoven, mainly spunlace fabric. Then the same is attached to non-
permeable bottom sheet made of polyethylene. The three layers/components are
glued and sealed to prevent leakage by using heat or ultrasonic vibrations. The
content of absorbing pad composite will vary for different types napkins.
The application of accessories like tapes, sealing, etc for comfort of fit to the
undergarments is required in some cases. This multi-step manufacturing and folding
and packaging is carried out automatically. Precise control on SAP mixing with pulp,
pulp weight, size and thickness, quality of seal to ensure leakage prevention,
wastage control, etc is an important step in the manufacturing. However, the counting and packaging can be made
non-automatic to reduce machine cost. But it may increase recurring cost and wastage.
Project cost
Product: Lady Napkin
Machine & Infrastructure Details
Production 350/min per machine at
100% efficiency and capacity
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Efficiency 80
Waste 1.5 3.0%
Power 110 kw
Manpower Operator - 1 & Helper - 10
Automation Semi-automatic
Cost 0.8 to 0.9 crores
Building
size
600 sq.mtr per machine
Product Lady napkins
Raw material Cost for approximately 8 gm regular sanitary napkin

Raw material Quantity/pc Rate in
Rs./kg
Unit Cost
Rs.
1 Nonwovens fabric 1.1 gm 140 0.15
2 Cellulose pulp 4.5 gm 40 0.18
3 Super absorbent polymer 0.6 gm

0.06
4 Polypropylene back sheet 0.96 gm 116 0.11
5 Silicon paper of 25 microne
45 GSM
0.67 gm 1125 0.06
6 Hot melt seal 0.45 gm 142 0.06
7 Hot melt positioning seal 0.14 gm 149 0.02

Total cost Rs. 0.64
Project Plan in brief
Assuming machine cost Rs 0.90 crore (Make: China)
Semi-automated machine (packaging manually)
Production 350 pcs/min. (at 100% capacity and efficiency).
Efficiency 80%.
Waste 3%.
8/28/2014 Manufacturing & market potential of sanitary napkins | Nonwovens & Technical Textiles | Features | The ITJ
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Shfit/day 3 shifts of 8 hours. Working days 300 (80% utilization of machine out of
300 working days).
Capacity
Speed of coating machine 350 pieces/min (Average speed considering
for single side: 360 mts/hour, for two
passes.
Working capacity 300 pieces/minutes @ 85% efficiency.
Production for 300 working days for
24 hrs/day at 100% capacity
utilisation
12.96 crore pieces/annum.
Production for 300 working days for
12 hrs/day at 80% capacity
utilisation
10.37 crores/annum.
Note:
1. Project profile is calculated based on approximately eight weight/gram of regular sanitary napkin and also based on
China make machine.
2.Land & building cost is considered in the project. However, in many cases, if project is implemented in existing
infrastructure, the same may not be applicable.
3. Capital subsidy schemes are not considered while calculating the profit.
4. Conversion cost is Rs 0.19 per piece.
Conclusion
At present the production of about 900 mn pieces are manufactured in India and rest are imported.
Total women in the age group of 15-54 years in India are about 300 mn. Total menstrual periods/year is 13 that last
for 4-8 days and an average of 3 pieces/day is used. Then consumption would be 58,500 mn pieces/year. Present
consumption is 2659 mn pcs, ie, 4.5% penetration while in Europe and USA it is well above 73 to 92%. Hence a
growth rate well above 18 to 20% is expected in India. The Indian market is quite huge and as per reports available
only 35% of Indias requirement is manufactured in India, as of now. A huge market, great potential and excellent
profit margin is envisaged in manufacturing of sanitary napkins in India.
Acknowledgement
The authors acknowledge with thanks the Director and Management of MANTRA for giving permission to publish the
paper.
Note: For detailed version of this article please refer the print version of The Indian Textile Journal October
2008 issue.
B S Pancholi
Man Made Textiles Research Association (MANTRA),
Surat, Gujarat.
Dr Sandeep R Naik.
Man Made Textiles Research Association (MANTRA),
Surat, Gujarat.
published October , 2008

Reader Comments
8/28/2014 Manufacturing & market potential of sanitary napkins | Nonwovens & Technical Textiles | Features | The ITJ
http://www.indiantextilejournal.com/articles/FAdetails.asp?id=1567 7/7

abhishek | 6/6/2010 2:09:36 AM
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ramarao | 3/22/2010 7:51:06 AM
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santi kole | 2/13/2010 12:38:14 PM
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